Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Fear

"What would you do if you knew you could not fail?" ~ Robert H. Schuller

 What is it that holds us back from doing the thing we most want to do? What keeps us from achieving our full potential? If you're anything like me, it's fear of failure. Failure - and disappointing people I care about - is my kryptonite. Interestingly enough, I've never failed at anything I set my mind to do - but the caveat to that is I've also never taken any huge risks. 

Here's what I would do if I knew I couldn't fail:
  1. Finish the cover letter for my quasi dream job instead of typing about it.
  2. Apply to Grad school this winter for fall term.
  3. Teach in a foreign country for a couple years
  4. Run a marathon.
  5. Start a private practice
Most of those things are relatively simple and easy to accomplish as long as a plan is in place. I'm good at making plans and organizing when it's something that needs to be done. I'm not so good at taking risks, even if the reward would be greater than the fear I feel now.

What would you do if you knew you could not fail? 

 

4 comments:

Di said...

Add me to the apply to grad school list. Just not financially possible for us right now though! :(

Aki Mori said...

Add me to the "foreign country" category. My family and I would move to China or Japan, but just for one or two years, and return back to the U.S. and hit the ground running.

Laura R said...

I'm not good at taking risks either! I tend to choose the safe, guaranteed-to-at-least-make-ends-meet route.

I guess I would quit my day job and open a pie shop with my mom. I would call it "Ma Higley's." I would also work on a graduate degree in theology, because, although it may not be practical, I want to learn more stuff.

The Green Girl said...

I can relate. I'm not good at taking significant risks without a reliable safety net either.